Under the deal a 3,000-strong security force affiliated with the Palestinian
Authority would be merged with Gaza’s security services to oversee the
enclave’s border crossings
Hamas, Fatah clinch breakthrough Gaza deal
[IMRA: And what about the missiles?]
Sawsan Abu-Husain Asharq Al-Awsat Friday, 26 Sep, 2014
http://www.aawsat.net/2014/09/article55336992

Control of border crossings to be shared between unity government and UN,
according to Hamas delegation head

Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—Rival Palestinian groups, Fatah and Hamas, reached an
agreement on Thursday to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to
the Palestinian national unity government, representatives of both factions
have announced.

After two days of talks under the auspices of Cairo, the two sides reached a
breakthrough deal to give the Palestinian national unity government, led by
Mahmoud Abbas, full control of the Gaza Strip.

The agreement covers aspects of “political partnership, [administration of]
border crossings, reconstruction of Gaza and the [payment of] salaries to
Gaza’s civil workers,” the head of the Islamist Hamas delegation Musa
Abu-Marzuq told reporters during a joint press conference with his Fatah
counterpart Azzam Al-Ahmad.

The talks tackled all issues and obstacles that hampered the implementation
of the reconciliation agreement, he added.

Hamas has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007 after winning legislative
elections and rivalry between the two factions deepened when the new
Islamist rulers kicked Fatah officials out of the enclave.

The two factions came close to forming a national unity government in May
but talks broke down over the Palestinian Authority’s suspension of the
payment of salaries to Gaza’s civil workers.

“All civil servants will be paid by the unity government because they are
all Palestinians and it is the government of all Palestinians,” said Ahmad
on Thursday.

The recent war on Gaza heightened tensions between the two groups as Fatah
blamed Hamas for heavy losses of life and damage to property.

More than 2,000 Palestinians were killed and several thousand homes were
destroyed during the 7-week Israeli offensive on Gaza.

The two sides agreed to “remove all the obstacles before the national unity
government and form a committee comprised of all Palestinian parties to
implement the agreement,” the Fatah official added.

Another contentious issue is the control of Gaza’s border crossings, which
according to Abu-Marzuq, would be shared between the national unity
government and the UN.

He said: “The United Nations will come to an agreement with Israel and the
unity government on how to run the crossings.”

Under the deal a 3,000-strong security force affiliated with the Palestinian
Authority would be merged with Gaza’s security services to oversee the
enclave’s border crossings